rob , i only have 125words that i can type i can't put everything in my reply, i just cant. i know you guys think i'm mean and really i love you all... but, i didnt write the bible i just follow it to the T. i have obeyed (acts 2:38-39)

38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call

you guy are debating about indewling of the holy spirt and being baptised in the spirit.. act 2:1-4 say that they were filled with the holy spirit and then began speaking in tongues AS THE SPIRIT ENABLED THEM. (acts 1:4-5)4And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.(acts 1:8) 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth

Batieste, I not only read the Bible, I also study it in the true context in which it is written.

The reason I do this is because of what is written in Romans 1:18-32 along with what is written in 2 Peter Chapter 2.

I also do this because of what is written in Romans 1:16-17.

You say I pick and chose what I want which is a lie.

It is you who left out Mark 16:18, which is part of the paragraph of what is written in Mark 16:15-18, which are the very words of Jesus. Also you refuse to give an answer as to why you left out verse 18.

While I do not want to put words in the mouth of---batieste I strongly suspect that he does not believe the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can be different from speaking in tongues. In fact I believe he believes that without speaking in tongues you do not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is but one of the heresies of the U.P.C. church.

There is a difference between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit once you believe. As for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, some received it immediately when they were baptized with water, and some receive with the laying on of hands. The 120 in the upper room didn't receive it from the baptism of water or the laying on of hands, and that happened twice in a row if you study Acts! If you've ever heard of Smith Wigglesworth, he didn't receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit until he was already 20 years in the ministry. The Apostles were casting out demons long before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I can't stand it when people teach before they read!

Rebecca I would have looked at you confused also. where is your scripture to back that up?Mark 16:15-17 (King James Version)

15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17And these signs shall follow them that believe, In my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, when you are baptised in the spirit, you are filled with the spiritActs 2:4 (King James Version)

4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

To Nicole- After reading this post,"We don't care for attacks, but do love prayers. Thanks! ---Nicole on 7/27/08 "I immediately made the following prayer concerning you. "Father God I asked you to send your ministering Holy Spirit to witness to Nicole's spirit that she might be shown the way to walk according to your will for her life." I thank you for the privilege of preying. This prayer was made in the name and under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

The other night in church, a man asked me if I was filled with the Holy Ghost. I said yes I am filled with the Holy Ghost. He said, but how you don't have the evidence of speaking in tongues. I told him that I didn't need to speak in tongues to be filled with the Holy Ghost. For there is a difference between been filled with the Holy Ghost and being baptized by the Holy Ghost and even though I may not have been baptized the Holy Ghost, I know that I am filled with the Holy Ghost. Because without the dwelling of the Holy Ghost we are none of his. He looked at me confused. I know when one gets saved, they are filled with the Holy Ghost, but they are not always baptized by the Holy Ghost and with fire. Why is that so hard to understand?

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He comes to dwell in those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. He brings gifts - the gifts of the Holy Spirit can be numerous and are different to the fruits. If someone is in deliberate sin, the Holy Spirit in that person is offended. Christians are temples of the Holy Spirit, even though they may sin. Without the Holy Spirit there would be no church, no members of the body of Christ, no Bride of Christ and no reason for Christ to return.

**Rhonda, actually the Bible says Gift of the , Holy Spirit. Interesting how one little word added or missing can change the whole context of a verse.**

Actually for lack of space I often omit the word "the"

the context is only different to one who believes in antichrist doctrine of pagan trinity ...context still reads (the) same to those who understand Gods Spirit (HIS Essence) is not a "god" His Spirit is a gift

THE Holy Spirit is Gods essense ...it is the mind of God dwelling in the mind of a convereted Christian ...it THE Spirit of God (Spirit of God) who works in true Christians Phil 2:13

StevengOnce again, you are right! There are those that are hearers and not doers, and they only deceive their selves from seeing the miracles of the Lord (James1:22).

Doing as the Holy Spirit dictates is the affirmation that is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Because it's like you said, those who are just listening are not performing or realizing the greater miracle of the Lord.

When we are hearers only of God's Word, our faith is dead for lack of work, and we will only see the natural tribulations that are in the world (James1:23). But life is given to our faith from the work of being doers of God's Word and when we believe & fainting not we are able to comprehend His glorious miracles all around us (Eph.3: 12-13,17-18).

When we are pessimistically fainting (just looking) at the tribulations of life we are not optimistically speaking God's Word (being a doer) into them revealing the glory which the Lord has stated will be done when we ask in his name.

John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Eph.3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Make an affirmation & Seek to be a doer and you will see glorious miracles happening all around you!

I am not talking about people who are "Christian" in name only. I am talking about saved, bound for heaven through death, or rapture, born agian Christians.

How do you reconcile your opinion with the clear teaching of scripture that every Christian has the Holy Spirit in them and if you do not have the Holy Spirit in you you are not a Christian?

Romans 8:8-10, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."

Rhonda here's another blog where you keep mentioning the doctrine of the RCC. Why do you continue to insist to attack the RCC? Let it go. It's a demonically driven mind-set that you are in.

If the RCC has the wrong doctrine about the Holy Spirit (like you do) then pray for them, don't keep judging and condemming them to death. I have a Catholic friend and I have been loving her where she is at and guess what? She has come to know Jesus in a deeper way and wants what I have, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit which is what Jesus promised in Acts Chapter 1 - you shall receive power when the Holy Ghost comes upon you. Please stop attacking the RCC, and please pray for them.

I am not talking about professing "Christians" who are unconverted and who are Christian in name only. I am talking about the born again Church of God. People who are going to Heaven by death or by rapture. SAVED people.

Are you saying that some of them do not have the Holy Spirit living in them?

If so, you must be able to reconcile that view with the scripture I cited below that explicitly states that if you are saved, you have the Holy Spirit living in you and if you do not have the Holy Spirit living in you, you are not saved.

Shawn.M.T: "Miracles are all around us but to see them we must believe."

Miracles are NOT all around us. If this were so, every Christian would be performing greater miracles than Jesus. Instead they are in "church" buildings being only hearers of the Word. Today's "church" is the great deception of this generation prophesied in Scripture.

BRUCE5656: "Are you saying that there are Christians who do not have the Holy Spirit living in them?"

Unfortunately, the vast majority of people who claim to be Christians do not have the Holy Spirit in them. If every Christian had the Holy Spirit in them, they would all be performing miracles greater than Jesus instead of sitting in church being only hearers of the Word. This is the great deception prophesied in Scripture.

I think we can tell by spelling God with a small "g" that she is in error of the True gospel of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit is GOD. It's HIS Spirit and it is Holy, thus Jesus calls Him, "the Holy Spirit."

There is a spirit of humanism going around that deceives folks regarding the Holy Spirit and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. To have the audacity to blaspheme God's Holy Spirit is really the unpardonable sin. We speak the truth in love knowing full well satan will come along and argue until the cows come home, but Jesus said, "take heed to what you listen to." If you know HIM, then don't argue with a false doctrine, amen?

Are you saying that there are Christians who do not have the Holy Spirit living in them?

How do you reconcile that with:Romans 8:9, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

Water baptism is an outward sign that a person is accepting God into his/her life. The Christian idea of water baptism intends to convey the notion of immersion, with the intent to cause a permanent change.

Spirit Baptism is an outward sign that God is accepting a person into His Life. Jesus was immediately baptized in the Holy Spirit upon emerging from the Jordan River - Mt 3:16, but that does not often happen with men.

Men are usually baptized in the Spirit some time after they have been baptized in water (Acts 19:3-5). Some are baptized in the Spirit before they are baptized in water (Acts 10:44-47).

Steveng:Your right, the actual indwelling of the Holy Spirit happens after being washed by the blood of Christ. This indwelling is referred to as being "Sealed with the Spirit" (Eph.1:13). But just because the Spirit is in us does not mean we are submissive to Him.

Our souls have been washed clean but it is our flesh that grieves the Spirit when it is not submissive. Our affirmation to immerse ourselves in all that the Spirit advises (Eph.4:17-32) is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, our baptism by fire, the burning away of the old man.

Miracles are all around us but to see them we must believe.

I pray that everyones eyes are opened to all the glorious miracles of God around us as Elisha did in 2Kings 6:16-17.

Shawn.M.T: "Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the declaring that we submit ourselves whole heartily (soul, heart, mind and strength) as the Holy Spirit guides, teaches & keeps us in remembrance of His Word."

It's not a declaration. It's the actual presence of the Holy Spirit within you (after you have been washed inside (through repentance) and outside (through water baptism). If every Christian had the Holy Spirit, then every Christian in the world would be performing greater miracles than Jesus on a daily basis. Where are these miracles in today's world?

I would like to clairfy that when I said that baptism means "immersion", I was not refering to water baptism in this context.

There are three baptisms in the NT.

Baptism in the body - by the Holy Spirit at conversion: 1 Corinthians 12:13, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,"

Water baptism - by a man following conversion: Matthew 28:19, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them...:"

Baptism in the Holy Spirit - Acts 1:5, "For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Remember this was spoken to men who had already been given the Holy Spirit to live in them- John 20:22)

The Lord wants us to have a truly peaceful and just character. If we really have let God's spirit indwell, our spirit/character will be like His (do you think you have a Godly/holy spirit?...you be the judge of that).

John did not baptize with the Holy Spirit because the spirit had not yet been given...John 7:39"for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified".

Acts 1:5"for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

When your goodness is of your own freewill, THEN God's spirit indwells...Philemon verse 14"in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will".

You can be saved and go through the motions, church, offerings, sing a few songs and say your prayers, read the bible, here a little there a little....not much change.

Holy Spirit baptism, those are the movers and shakers and I'm not talking about rolling up and down the aisles, the bizarre.I'm talking about those who make a difference and give all of the glory to God.God's glory, presence of God - you do not find those words in a non believing in the Holy Spirit baptism church.

Donna83654) What do you folks believe about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? Only when we recognition God's Word & Spirit as the truth of who we are, will we seek (baptism) to submerge ourselves into this truth.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the declaring that we submit ourselves whole heartily (soul, heart, mind and strength) as the Holy Spirit guides, teaches & keeps us in remembrance of His Word.

If you just finished spending a long day doing yardwork, would you just sprinkle a few drops of water on your forehead to get cleaned? Once you receive the knowledge of the Kingdom, after you repented, after you have cleaned the inside and the outside, then you are ready for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

It took the apostles three years before they were Baptised by the Holy Spirit. How many more years will you be baptised by the Holy Spirit? Rarely will a Christian from a denominational church get baptised by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus instructed us to be baptised with water. He even set an example by being baptised by John. The apostles baptised with water as instructed.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not what John did (the spirit had not yet been given, John 7:39).

John baptized with H2O, but we should be baptized with the living water of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5 and 11:16, John chap. 4, John 7:38, Revelation 7:16). This is the water that flowed from Christ's side at the cross and will be POURED out in the last days (Acts 2:17).

The living water is our guarantee (1 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5, Ephesians 1:14). We shall not live by the bread of life alone, but by His spirit also (Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4) and learn the "depths of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10).

If baptism is by immersion only how does a sick or dying person confined to a hospital bed recieve it, or My sister who cant get even a drop of water in her ear cause she has no eardrum, or the people who live in a desert where there isnt a water supply big enough to be immersed in or doing so would contaminate the water they drink?

the Holy Spirit is a GIFT that is given to those whom God has called ...obeying Him and after Baptism washes away sins Gods Spirit dwells in the mind of a new Christian

Acts 2:38 is very clear ...REPENT of the way of life you once knew and lived prior to Christ ...all sins will be forgiven as if they never happened ...immersion in water is washing away of those sins when baptism is done in the name of Christ

when the baptism is completed the Holy Spirit will dwell in the new Christians mind

The Holy Spirit is not "used" it is given to new Christians to support them in living Gods Way ...the way we will live when spirit beings in Gods Kingdom

"baptism of the Holy Spirit"I've known an indwelling of the Spirit and his constant guidance and presence. I've had it since I was saved, and I don't feel deprived. Do you?

I've known how he always sends us down the path of the Father's will, and that I can shut him out for any other spirit at a whim anytime, and he never leaves.

That much I know.

When my strength ends God's is beginning, that's why I say give it all you've got while we call it today, then you find his strength to go on, and maybe a sweet blessing or two to give thanks for. There is the way/desire of the Spirit and as we submit we learn of the one who sent him.

To be Christian is to have the Holy Spirit in you. To be baptized with the Holy Spirit is a deeper, more edifying personal relationship with the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of power thereof. What is it for? Today, I believe it is to make your calling more sure within yourself. When witnessing(my calling) my voice, my demeanor, my intensity is totally different. Many people comment on this, but the first to comment was my wife years ago. I believe the Holy Spirit is what empowers my boldness.